Whether they’re selling tickets to orbit or making sure the science funding keeps flowing, rocket companies and space agencies alike have a vested interest in getting the public jazzed about the cosmic beyond. So it’s no surprise that we’re now entering a golden age of space tourism propaganda—one that’s bringing back…

We were just luxuriating in the fact that space exploration is big at the movies again. And now here’s a reminder that we’re finally getting some more big space action on television as well: We’re less than two months away from Syfy’s The Expanse.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve watched Pluto transform from a fuzzy gray ball into a reddish-pink world with ice plains, mountains ranges, and hints of geologic activity. But science isn’t the only great thing about the recent Pluto discoveries: The new artwork is pretty stellar, too.

io9’s comment of the day today comes from our own Ron Miller, space artist, who took to the comments of this post about the books we’ve owned the longest to share the story behind these 1950s-era space books.

Usually, the focus of space photography is on letting us see close-up views of far away things we could never see otherwise. But what happens when the focus of the camera is turned onto the tools of the trade themselves?

The Soviet Union had some problems, but one thing they got right was space art. That's why there's nothing better than this gallery of adorable and awe-inspiring postcards from the USSR, looking at our future life in outer space.

Ron Miller's new coffee table book The Art of Space is a gorgeous history of scientific illustrations, full of retro rockets and stunning planetscapes. It's also a glimpse back at the cutting-edge astronomy of yesteryear. We've got a gallery of some of the most striking work from the book.

Is there any more beautiful than a ringed planet? It's like an instant signifier of an exotic, non-Earth world. And the sight of a ring floating around an entire world is one of the most poetic and astonishing vistas the universe has to offer. And luckily, some immensely talented artists have created illustrations…

Chances are, none of us will live long enough to travel to a planet in another star system. But at least, we can gaze upon dozens of exoplanets right now — thanks to official artworks created by NASA and some of the world's greatest high-tech observatories. Check out our favorite official exoplanet art below.

When we discover a brand new exoplanet, we can only imagine what it might look like. But luckily for us, our imagination has some pretty brilliant visual aids. Artists (including our own Ron Miller) have created some droolworthy images of planets outside our solar system. Here are the most gorgeous of them all.

Chances are, you've already marveled at Emmanuel Shiu's stunning concept art before. We've featured his stunning movie and game art before — he's worked on everything from Star Trek to Lost Planet 3. Above is a brand new piece of concept art, which he's premiering at io9. And below is Shiu's explanation of how to…

NASA’s always had a knack for making the wonders of science look like incredible art; gazing at their various high-def visions of the universe is awe-inspiring to the highest degree. In addition to its incredible command of the cosmos, the agency has also spent the past fifty years commissioning terrestrial creative…

This week's Focus is on famed cover painter, Alan Gutierrez. "Capturing the romance of space exploration" is how he defines his work, and that's a perfect description. Alan's work has been featured on the covers of magazines, books, games, and on display in galleries. His work even appeared many years ago here on io9.

In 1927, the Soviet Association of Inventors decided to hold an exhibition dedicated to the possibility of space flight. In spite of some financial and bureaucratic difficulties — the government claimed that the subject of spaceflight was "still premature and problematical" and would only serve to "stir up the masses"…

Do six eyes make cats better at playing with nano-fiber yarn? That's just one of the important questions raised by a new exhibition of space-themed artworks that opened last night. Prepare for cuteness!

Once, these rocket ships helped countless schoolchildren to conquer the vast reaches of space. Now, they look like a good way to get tetanus, with their rusty distressed metal. Photographer Lauren Orchowski's new book Rocket Science documents their beautiful decrepitude.

Back in the 1970s, NASA was creating seriously trippy images of lush, green human habitats crammed inside tubes in space. Farms and happy townsfolk stretch upwards and even wrap over your head, like an M.C. Escher vista. More weirdness below.